Tidings of Comfort and Joy
by kolchaksghost
Summary: Charles and the rest of the Pack are worried because Anna has distanced herself everyone. Not a good summary. Rated M because I'm paranoid. Anna/Charles.
1. Prologue: Blue Jay and Lady Wolf

**Tidings of Comfort and Joy**

_Disclaimer: Alpha and Omega is owned by Patricia Briggs._

Prologue: Blue Jay and Lady Wolf

_***Aspen Creek, Montana; October***_

APOV

I was in the middle of a restless sleep when I felt Lady Wolf nudging at the edge of my awareness. Ever since Charles and I had come back from the negotiations in Seattle last winter, the bond with the wolf spirit that shared my soul had gotten stronger. Just like my Mate bond had. Sleep was always difficult whenever Charles wasn't here. I mentally swatted my other half away. Unfortunately, she wouldn't be brushed off.

_WAKE UP,_ Lady Wolf screamed in my head.

My eyes snapped open and I forcibly shot up to a seated position in the bed. Thanks to the thick curtains and late hour, the bedroom was more like a cave with its stygian blackness. I called upon Lady Wolf and felt the shift as my eyes went from root beer brown to sky blue. Human eyesight had been replaced by a werewolf's superior night vision. That was how I discovered that I wasn't alone.

_Peace, sister, she means us no harm,_ she soothed.

Between her soothing and the fact that the intruder hadn't moved from the corner where they watched me, I calmed down. I relaxed completely when I'd taken the time to get a good look at my intruder. She was a beautiful Native American woman clad in a buckskin dress and boots. Her long black hair had two braids with beads woven into them on either side of her face. Insight told me she couldn't hurt me because this was Charles' mother, Blue Jay Woman. The fact that she was also over a century dead didn't hurt, either.

"There is much we need to talk about," the ghost stated softly as she made her way over to her bed.

When the conversation finished, I was an emotional wreck. The urgent phone call I'd received just afterward hadn't helped my mental state. Bran Cornick, Charles' father and the Marrok, had sensed my distress through the Pack bond and attempted to call me several times. It was just before dawn when he walked into house then noticed the suitcase waiting by the door.

"What's wrong," he asked when he saw my tear stained cheeks and pulled me into a hug.

"My dad just died," I wailed, heartbroken, as he held me. It might not have been the whole truth, but it was enough.


	2. Chapter 1

**Tidings of Comfort and Joy**

_Disclaimer: Patricia Briggs owns Alpha and Omega, I'm just playing in her sandbox._

Ch1: Hide and Seek

_***Aspen Creek, Montana; December***_

APOV

I knew Charles and the others were getting suspicious and worried about my odd behavior. It was only a matter of time before someone demanded answers. The last thing I wanted to do was runaway, but it was the only course of action that made sense because I couldn't keep my secret much longer. My husband had already started to suspect that how I'd been acting went beyond the death of my father.

Thankfully, I'd managed to slowly stash the essentials that I'd need over the past couple of months. All that was left was to pack some more clothes into my pink backpack and I'd head out before Charles got back from his meeting with the Marrok. With the last of my clothes packed away, I hefted the backpack on my shoulders then left out the back door after I dropped a note on the table for my mate.

It had started to snow just before I finished packing and from the news reports, the storm would be pretty bad. That meant there'd be no trace of my tracks, I nodded smugly to myself then bolted into the woods. I had roughly two and half hours of steady hiking in order to reach my destination, the last place anyone would think to look for me.

At noon, I reached my destination, an old Indian Lodge that was over a couple of centuries old but was well kept. The storm had gotten progressively worse during my trek and I'd been glad that the forest had protected me from the brunt of it but now there was about fifty feet of open space from the tree line to the Lodge. My thighs were already on fire from the forced march so I mustered up what reserves I had left and sprinted the remaining distance as best I could.

The wind whipped through the little clearing the Indian Lodge was in. I had made inside just a little worse for wear. I dropped the backpack then made a fire; it wasn't long before the entire place was toasty warm. I stripped out of my jacket and then my boots before curling up on the bed for a nap. Tonight was the night of the full moon and I needed plenty of rest. The spirit of Blue Jay Woman appeared and sang softly in Salish until I drifted off into a deep sleep, I was safe now.

CPOV

I arrived home from my meeting with Da to find it quiet, too quiet. At first, I thought that Anna might just be asleep so I went into the kitchen to make us some hot chocolate, and then headed back to our bedroom. Anna wasn't there and rapid search of the house revealed she wasn't home at all. I went back into the kitchen and placed the mugs on the counter. I remembered that my wife had a lesson today with Asil and then she was going Christmas shopping with Sage.

There was a feeling in the back of my mind that told me that something was off. That Anna was in some kind of trouble. I called Asil and asked to speak to my wife, if I heard her voice then everything was fine and there was nothing to worry about. The Moor said that Anna had cancelled there lesson for today and that she'd missed her last few lessons. He sounded concerned about her. When I asked about her shopping trip with Sage, the ancient lobo told me that Anna had cancelled her trip with his new mate as well.

Brother Wolf was starting to panic by the time I'd gotten off the phone with Asil. We paced back and forth across the kitchen while I attempted regain some control. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a piece of paper that had been blown off the table. I picked it and scanned what was written on it.

_Dearest Charles,_

_ I love you with all of my heart and soul. I don't want you to worry about us, I'll be back soon. Please don't come looking for me._

_Love,_

_Anna_

I let the note slip from my fingers as I bolted back into the bedroom. I found my mate's backpack missing, along with some warm clothes. She'd left me. In a daze, I tried to throw open our Mate Bond but found that she'd already constricted it so I wouldn't be able to find her. Brother Wolf and I were in full panic now.

_Mate, peace; we are safe. We will come back when the time is right. We love you,_ Lady Wolf whispered in my head.

Every time I'd heard Lady Wolf in my mind it was like a lover's caress. Anna's wolf had only started talking to me like Brother Wolf spoke to her for about six months now. It was a precious gift and I treasured it as such. Unfortunately, Lady Wolf's message hadn't eased the panic and it nearly bubbled over.

_Son, what's wrong? I'm on my way…,_ my father's voice spoke in my head this time and I grabbed the phone.

"Da, Anna is gone. Pick up Asil and Sage then bring them over here," I said in an almost dead tone when my Da answered his cell phone.

The three werewolves arrived twenty minutes later. Once I filled them in on everything, Da took over. Tonight being the full moon meant the Pack would be out hunting. Anna's absence would be noted but there was nothing that could be done about that now. As he and I needed to stay with the Pack for the bulk of the hunt, my father ordered Asil and Sage to stay at the back of the Pack so that they could break away and start looking for our wayward Omega. She'd been on foot when she left the house, so she couldn't have gotten far.

SPOV

We left Charlie's place with clothes for him and Bran in a waterproof bag, then head our separate ways. 'Sil and I stopped by our place to add clothes to the bag and then I was to find a good place to hide it in the forest. When the task was completed, my mate and I ate a light lunch and cuddled on the couch until it was time to leave.

The Pack assembled at the usual spot just outside of town. Everyone milled about chatting while we waited for the moon. Many members were already partially under the spell of her song. At the appointed time, Bran stepped onto a large flat rock and looked out over the assembly.

"It is time," he said simply as he stripped out of his clothes and changed.

Everyone followed his lead and soon there were numerous wolf howls that filled the night. When the last member of the pack had changed, Bran and our resident Queen Bitch – his mate Leah led us into the woods. Charles, as his second, took up position at the rear in order to protect us from any threats.

As soon as we were sure nobody would notice my mate and I slipped away from the Pack to hunt down our "special" prey. The two of us trotted through the trees for a few minutes before 'Sil's wolf stopped and closed his eyes. After a brief pause, he ran in what seemed like a random direction. We'd doubled back and were on the far side of Charlie's property when I saw a flash of movement.

At first, I thought it was just a trick of the light, but then I saw it again. A naked woman was barely visible as she ran through the trees. My mate had noticed it too, one look from me and he bolted back to where the pack was hunting while I ghosted after the female. For some odd reason, I couldn't pick up her scent or find any footprints she'd left behind. It was almost as if she were a ghost.

Eventually, I located a small clearing with an old Indian Lodge in it. I recognized the structure as being similar to a painting in the Marrok's study. Smoke drifted lazily out of the roof and a flickering light could be seen from inside. I trotted over to the entrance and found my way inside. Anna's scent was all over as I explored the ancient structure. As quickly as I had come, I left the building and waited in the trees for the others to return.

BPOV

The Pack had just finished with the hunt and the wolves were breaking off to play when I noticed Asil's return. He sat on his haunches by the large wolf that was my son. I spared Leah a glance; she was too busy cleaning herself from the hunt to notice anything. With a soft snort of disgust, I made my way to my son and the Moor.

Asil had taken the lead as we ghosted away from the rest of the pack. We stopped long enough to pick up the bag of clothes Sage had hidden earlier. When we reached the other side of my son's property, I knew where Anna was hiding. I didn't need to look back at Charles to know he had figured it out as well.

We picked up the picked up the pace until we met up with Sage. She picked up the bag from where my son had dropped it then trotted off to the Lodge. She left it inside and rejoined us. There was movement in the trees to the side of the Lodge, so I gave silent orders to the others to converge on that spot.

A very naked Anna was dragging a dead deer towards the Lodge. Blood covered the front of her and glistened off her teeth and claws. For some reason, she'd only partially transformed. Halfway to her hide out, she sensed us and froze. Silently, we showed ourselves. Anger then fear flickered through her eyes and she tensed her body for a fight. Omegas by their very nature abhor violence; it is part of their magic to bring peace to a Pack. The fact that my daughter, and she was my daughter, was ready to fight spoke volumes about her mental state. Then I caught her unmasked scent and knew why she'd run away.

I mentally told the others to go back to the Lodge. When the others had gone, I slinked forward and gently nipped at her ankle in admonishment and then helped her drag the carcass to the Lodge. Anna had the good sense to mutter low apologies and look contrite. The others had already changed back to human and gotten dressed by the time the two of us had entered.

She ignored the rest of us while she cleaned herself off then got dressed. After a few minutes, she turned to face us. The others could read her apology in her body language but she said the words anyway. When she was finished, Charles was the first to speak.

"Anna will you tell me what's wrong," he asked; that one question covered a multitude of topics.

"I'm three months pregnant," she replied barely above a whisper.


	3. Chapter 2

**Tidings of Comfort and Joy**

_Disclaimer: Alpha and Omega is the sole property of the talented Patricia Briggs._

Ch. 2: Omega Magic

APOV

After the words had escaped my lips I watched the four other wolves for reactions. My gaze drifted from my best friend to my mentor in all things Omega, and then to my loving husband before it rested on my super scary, nearly omniscient, father-in-law. The shocked expressions still frozen on the first three were enough to make me giggle.

_Daughter, while this is indeed joyous news, you have a lot of explaining to do, _Bran's voice gently chided in my mind.

"How is that possible? A fetus can't survive the mother's shift from human to wolf and yet you say that you're three months pregnant," Sage, who was the first to recover, wondered.

"In my old Pack back in Chicago, Leo had me beaten and raped on a regular basis in order to break me. He also kept me criminally ignorant about anything involving werewolves, but that is beside the point. Anyway, the abuse forced my wolf and me to find some kind of odd balance. She protected me until I found the strength to take care of myself. Now that I'm pregnant, that balance allows her to protect not just me but our baby as well. My wolf only allows me to partially shift, even on nights of the full moon because hurting the baby would hurt us both. I think this is part of the Omega Magic and once I carry to term I'll be able to help other female werewolves do the same thing," I explained.

Bran and Asil, who was the next to recover, looked thoughtful during my explanation. When I finished my Southern Belle of a best friend ran over and gave me a hug as she squealed happily. Charles still hadn't recovered; he just stood there staring at me but his face became an unreadable mask.

"Asil and Sage, I want you to go back to the Pack and tell them about Anna and the baby. I am sure you can figure out which parts to omit. Let them know that she, Charles and I will be going to the Tri-Cities to see Samuel, but when we get back there will be a pack meeting. Then wake up Hank, tell him to have the jet fueled and ready for take off by 8 a.m.," the Marrok ordered his wolves.

Asil kissed me on the forehead and congratulated me before he joined his mate then left. I looked over at my husband and I started to get worried. Hesitantly, I walked over to him then cupped his right cheek with my hand.

"Charles," I asked in concern.

The unreadable mask shattered and a smile of pure joy graced his lips. He picked me up then swung me around once before he pulled me into a tight, yet gentle, hug.

"I take it Daddy is happy," I teased.

"Daddy is very happy," Charles murmured into my whiskey colored hair.

I hadn't noticed how stressed I'd been until I was surrounded by his scent and my body relaxed. My mate moved us over to a chair at the nearby table then placed me on his lap. The fingers from one of his hands ran through my hair and massaged my scalp. The scent of male and mate combined with the tingles his touch caused pulled a memory up of our trip to the negotiations in Seattle.

During a private moment in our hotel room, Charles had told me I could touch him any time, any where. An image of touching him in an inappropriate place while he was talking with his father had flashed through my mind. Sitting in his lap now, all I wanted was to touch him in some very inappropriate places. To kiss, nip and pleasure myself with his body. The scent of my arousal was noticeable and he chuckled when I started to wiggle my hips in his lap. A cough brought me back to my senses and I turned to see Bran.

"Anna, how did you find this place," he asked in a strained voice because he'd kept this place a secret, even from his sons.

"Mom," I called out softly.

Charles and Bran let out gasps as Blue Jay Woman materialized on the middle of the room then floated over to us. Her spectral fingers brushed her son's cheek, and then she placed a phantom kiss on one of mine before ending up beside her still living mate. Bran stared at her with look of genuine love. It wasn't a look that he ever shared with his current mate, Leah.

"My son, I am disappointed that you have failed to teach our Anna the way of the Spirits. If you had, then she could have used your talent to hide her scent without my help and I could have contented myself with just guarding over her dreams," Blue Jay chided in a motherly way.

"I'm s-s-sorry mother," Charles stammered, I'd never heard him stammer before.

The spirit smiled at her son and nodded as she accepted his apology. After a couple of second she directed her attention to the Marrok. Despite the love that shone for him in her eyes, her expression hardened just a tad.

"Bran Cornick, my husband, I love you and shall always love you and watch over you. I understand why you needed to take a new mate and the reason you chose Leah. But I warn you, if you do not teach your bitch to heel and she continues to act spitefully towards our children (I knew Samuel and I were included in that plural) or our future grandchildren, then I shall torment her in ways that will give you nightmares. Have I made myself clear," the ghost demanded.

Bran nodded his comprehension but the joy never left his face. After a few minutes, I understood that the Marrok and Blue Jay Woman wanted to be alone. Charles, however, remained cluesless until his father gave him a rather pointed look. Not futher communication being required, my mate ran with me bridal style all the way back home. It was only after the crossed the threshold of our back door that I remembered that I was craving deer.

"Charles, we forgot my deer," I commented ruefully.

"We have deer meat here," he replied.

"But is it fresh or frozen. I want _my_ deer. The one Lady Wolf and I hunted down," I pouted like a five-year-old.

"Yes love, I'll go back and get it. You rest on the couch, maybe I could get you some coco to sip while you wait for me to come back," he responded like the good husband he was, but the brownie points he'd just scored went out the window when he chuckled as he went into the kitchen to fetch me my coco.

I was about to yell at him for that but he kissed me with such passion when he brought me my drink that I couldn't stay mad at him.

"I'll be back in fifteen minutes," Charles said after he broke the kiss.

I appreciated the view as he left the way we came in. My thoughts drifted between gobbling fresh deer and having my way with my mate. Lady Wolf admitted she'd be happy with either choice. The warmth from my coco spread through my body like an old comfy blanket.

CPOV

I ran back to the place of my birth and heard my Da whispering to the spirit that was my mother. Not wanting to disturb their reunion, I hefted the deer carcas over my shoulder then headed home. After dropping the dead animal on our back porch, I went inside to retrieve my knives so I could dress the deer. I noticed Anna asleep on the couch.

It was colder than a Witch's Tit outside so I knew the deer would keep. I picked up my dreaming mate and carried her into our bedroom. Once she was under the covers, I stripped down to my boxers and joined her. As I drifted off to sleep I prayed to God and all the Spirits that Anna wouldn't be angry if there wasn't fresh deer meat waiting for her in the morning.


	4. Chapter 3

**Tidings of Comfort and Joy**

_Disclaimer: Patricia Briggs owns everything, I'm just having some fun with it._

Ch. 3: Leah's Mistake

BPOV

At first, I wasn't able to believe my eyes when my lost love, Blue Jay Woman, appeared out of thin air in the middle of the room. As soon as the spirit was next to me and I had caught the ghost of her scent, I knew it was my love. True love was an emotion that I hadn't been able to feel, besides for my sons, Mercy and now Anna, in a very long time. It spread over me while my once wife chided me about her replacement but I was too lost in that forgotten feeling.

There were a few awkward minutes when my son wasn't able to comprehend that I wanted to be alone with the apparition of Blue Jay. Fortunately, my beloved daughter, Anna, was quick on the uptake. She was able to get my momentarily mentally challenged son to finally see the obvious and they went back home. I decided to take a few minutes and just bask in her presence.

"I tried to keep our Mate Bond open after you died but I failed. I am more sorry than you know," I choked out truthfully.

"You never failed, husband. I kept the bond closed because I loved you enough to want you to move past my death. I never doubted your love but I knew you would need a new mate to cage the Berserker inside of you. It was my wish that you find one that you could love with what was left of your heart because a part of it died with me," Blue Jay replied softly, her voice was like music to my ears.

The subject of Leah was bound to come up but I had hoped it could be put off for a bit. While I thought about how best to comment on that situation, Charles returned to the Lodge and picked up Anna's deer. Blue Jay Woman giggled and at first, I was puzzled until I remembered the craving she went through while she carried our son and started to chuckle myself.

_Have fun with the pregnancy cravings, son. I remember during the early into your Mother's pregnancy when I had to trek all the way to Texas because she wanted to eat a Longhorn steer. By the time I hauled it back to Montana, she was craving caribou,_ I thought to my son.

"It is a husband's duty to give his wife her every heart's desire when she is with child," Blue Jay chided as she glared at me. Obviously, she heard what I had told Charles.

"You are absolutely correct, love. I will be sure to explain that to our son as soon as possible," I responded in Welsh because she loved my native tongue.

Just before either of us could say anything more, I felt my current wife, Leah, draw on my power. From the general chaos I felt through the Pack Bonds, I guessed that Asil and Sage had just informed the Pack of the pending arrival to the Cornick clan. My mate was not happy and used my power to lash out at the others. The Marrok Pack was made up of wolves that had problems and couldn't live on their own or in other packs. If she continued to throw out abuse, one of them would snap. As quickly as I could, I constricted our Mate Bond until it was almost non-existent. That effectively ended her reign of terror.

I wanted to stay and talk some more with the spirit of my Soul Mate but I needed to stop Leah from doing anything foolish. Blue Jay understood and promised that whenever I wished to talk with her to ask Anna. I nodded then bolted from the lodge but remained in my human form as I ran through the trees.

LPOV

When the Moor and his bitch, Sage, told the Pack that pathetic little Anna was three months pregnant, all I saw was red. I was so enraged that I couldn't contain it so I drew on the Marrok's power to show the Pack that I ruled this territory and put them in their place. I'd always known that our mating was based on acceptance and not love. Hell, Bran always went out of his way to prove that point by seeking his sons' council instead of my own.

As much as I hated the bastard, I enjoyed the benefits of being the Marrok's mate. With the exceptions of sex and some Pack business, he left me alone to do as I pleased. Thankfully, he never found out that I bankrolled Jerry Wallace's attempted coup a while back. Bran and Charles were so distracted with him and the Western Chicago Suburb Pack that I was able to erase any link that led back to me.

My husband loved his children more than anything else, especially me. Most of the authority I should have was given to them by Bran. I wasn't going to allow the freakish spawn of his half-breed son and his wretched bitch usurp any more. Bran constricted our Mate Bond and I lost the ability to use his power. I let all the rage explode for me as I phased into my wolf form. The only thought I had as I raced away from the Pack was gorging myself on the blood and flesh of whore that had just become an even bigger thorn in my side.

CPOV

An ungodly high-pitched keening had woke me up a full minute before the wolf that was my stepmother crashed through my bedroom window and I was able to move Anna out of the way. The enraged she-wolf grew increasing more maddened when she couldn't get past me to my wife. There was no doubt in my mind that if that happened, Leah would kill her.

Da never tolerated anyone speaking ill of his wife or lashing out at her, not even his sons. If Leah needed to be punished then he did it in private but this time she had gone too far. I didn't care if she was the Marrok's mate, she was trying to attack my Anna and I was going to kill her. The werewolf feinted to the right but before she could dart back to the left, there was a growl, and then a human sized blur with whiskey colored hair crashed into her.

APOV

_That bitch tried to kill us and our child,_ Lady Wolf howled in my mind. No sooner than Charles had moved me when Leah's wolf crashed through our bedroom window, I was already partially changed and looked for an opening.

When Charles first brought me to Aspen Creek, the older she-wolf had tried to do a power play on me but succumbed to my innate Omega effect. Afterwards, whenever Charles had to leave me behind for an assignment, Leah attempted to dig at me. Her preferred method was to lash out at me through Sage. She wanted to kill me while I slept but she hadn't counted on the spirits being on my side. Now, Lady Wolf and I had only one thought, the Queen Bitch was going down **HARD**.

I watched Leah try to outwit my mate and used that as the perfect opportunity the attack. My jump was perfectly timed, when the bitch darted left after faking right, I smashed into her back. The werewolf was momentarily dazed and I was able to wrap my arms around her torso while my fangs tore into the back of her neck. Once my teeth found purchase Leah bucked and thrashed as she tried to throw me off.

Eventually, she managed to toss me but Charles caught me before I crashed into the wall. The insane wolf was about to launch a counter attack somebody else entered the room.

"ENOUGH," Bran yelled while his power swept over us and forced us to obey.

The Marrok watched the murderous intent in his mate's eyes as she fought against his command. I knew that he was speaking to her in her head when she looked at him and whined. Her entire body went into a submissive pose but Bran wasn't having it. He forced her to change back to human form then paraded her through the Pack that had gathered on our front lawn, all the way to his home where she was locked in one of the holding cells.

By the time he returned to our house, Charles, Tag and Asil had secured some plywood over the broken window. The rest of the Pack had gone back to their homes. Bran made us some coco while Charles and I sat on the couch. He and Bran talked about Leah's punishment. For her attack, the other wolf had to be killed but it would wait until we got back from the Tri-Cities.

"Charles, where's my deer? Never mind, can I have a peanut butter and Tabasco sandwich," I asked when my stomach growled.

Father and son shared a look then burst out laughing. I hadn't gotten to eat before falling asleep and I wasn't in the mood to be laughed at. My warning growl was enough to make my husband jump and fetch me my food. I shot Da a smug smile, which made him laugh harder but this time I joined in.

BJPOV

That jealous bitch tried to kill my daughter and unborn grandchild. I called upon the spirits to aid me in wrath. They would torment Leah Cornick until my family returned from their trip. Once the whore was dead, the monster inside my loving husband would try to force its way out. Anna had calmed it once before, but I knew that Bran was going to need more than just an Omega to keep it chained up. There had to be a way to keep the darkness from consuming him entirely.

I felt a disturbance and was flooded with knowledge. It seemed as if fate was going to reunite me with my husband.


	5. Chapter 4

**Tidings of Comfort and Joy**

_Disclaimer: Patricia Briggs owns Alpha and Omega._

Ch. 4: Seattle Surprise

APOV (Angus)

The Rogue that had been terrorizing Seattle for the past week had been slippery bastard but we'd gotten lucky. Tom Franklin, my second, had been out shopping with his wife and came across their scent. His years as a werewolf, along with those spent as a homicide detective with the Seattle PD, had allowed Tom to follow the twisted prick without being noticed. The entire Emerald City Pack had sprung into action as soon as he alerted us and I gave the order to converge on the park the trail ended at.

From what Tom told me the scent was concentrated in an out of the way park on the outskirts of town, which meant it was most likely the Rogue's den. I arrived ten minutes after I'd received the call and the rest of the pack showed up twenty minutes later. We gathered in a secluded parking lot on the far side of the park then I ordered everyone to change. It was already getting dark and the park was abnormally empty so there was little risk of exposure. When the last wolf had changed, we spread out and then our hunt began.

Fear, pain, blood and death were as thick in the air as the renegade's scent. For them to be that prevalent, the twisted shit had to have been killing for much longer than the recent death toll suggested. I was pissed by that realization and the rest of the pack shared my anger. Somehow, some unknown wolf had slipped into my territory without my knowledge and started killing humans under my nose. A blood-curdling scream of agony from the central wooded area made us run faster.

The Rogue was smashing a woman's head into the ground until there was an audible crack followed by a squishing sound. The sick puppy hadn't noticed my arrival and I was able to knock him off the mangled body. I gave silent orders to the rest of the pack to stay out of the fight. This prick was all mine, they needed to see to the woman because besides the head trauma, she'd been bitten and clawed pretty bad.

In the few minutes the other wolf and I circled each other, I learned everything that I needed to know. The psycho was an unskilled fighter. It wasn't long before he made a fatal mistake but I prolonged his suffering so that he understood that pain and terror he'd caused his victims. When I finally grew bored, I tore his throat out with my fangs then joined the others. Alan Choo, our medic, had changed back to human and examined her.

"The wounds are starting to heal but I don't know how well the lycanthropy will heal her obvious brain damage," the submissive wolf explained to me as he handed me some sweats to wear after I changed back to human.

"Let's get her back to my place, clean her up and then we'll take her to Samuel in the Tri-Cities," I suggested and he nodded in agreement as his eyes showed relief.

Tom and I helped Alan get her stabilized and then the three of us carried her back to my SUV while the rest of the pack flanked us. The drive back to my home was filled with tense silence as Alan continued to monitor the woman's condition. I'd dismissed everyone before getting in the car. Tom went to retrieve his wife so that the two of them could join us at my place. Five minutes from our destination, the woman began to moan in pain. It was the first sound she'd made since her initial scream in the park.

We placed her in one of the holding cells in the basement then Moira, Tom's wife and the pack's witch, started to clean her. After a few more of the woman's pained moans, I ordered Moira to leave and locked the door behind me when I joined the others. Once her injuries had healed, the witch could try again. I led our group back upstairs, all of our nerves were shot and the best thing to do now was to eat something and relax.

I decided that surf and turf was just thing. While I worked on the steaks, Alan started on the lobsters and Tom opened a bottle of wine to breathe. Moira, despite being blind, knew her way around the kitchen and ended up making a salad. I almost argued with her but the witch had earned my respect with all she'd done during the incident at last winter's negotiations with the European wolves. Before that, I'd had little use for her and often pitied her lack of sight. Now, besides the respect, I had a healthy dose of fear at just what the witch could do.

We dug into our meal when the shower was turned on in one of the guest bedrooms downstairs. Besides us, the only other person in my house was the Rogue's victim and there was no way in hell she'd be healed, or even conscious, enough to take a shower. The four of us rushed back to the basement and found the steel reinforced door of the holding cell wide open. We stood there in stunned silence because the door could only be unlocked from the outside.

The water shut off then a beautiful, russet skinned, Native American woman entered the hall as she dried her long, raven black hair. She wore the simple white tee shirt and sweat pants that most packs kept in bulk for emergencies. Her most startling feature was her blue eyes, not a color that was typical among her people. She smiled when she saw then smiled wider when she scented the air. Without a word, the twenty-something woman brushed past us then padded bare foot upstairs towards the food. My three companions and I trailed behind her.

Three of us being werewolves, we'd made enough food for a small army. The Native American woman piled up a plate then dug into it when she sat down at the table. Within seconds, the food was gone and she made her way back for seconds.

"Miss, my name is Angus, do you remember what happened to you? What your name is or even where you are," I asked as soon as I found my voice.

She laughed then looked me straight in the eyes and held my gaze. It was a deliberate challenge and the wolf in me wanted to put her in her place but something in the back of my mind stopped me. Just as she had started the challenge, she ended it. Then with a contemplative expression, she spoke.

"There are two answers for your first two questions and one for the third. I shall give you the answer to it first. I am currently in Seattle, at the home of the Alpha of the Emerald City Pack and about to have a second helping of dinner," she commented as she made her way back to the table.

It had taken a minute to get over the shock of her reply but once the rest of us had recovered, I motioned for her to continue. The woman looked wistfully at her full plate then sighed.

"This body's name is Blue Jay Monroe. She was my many times great-grandniece and a descendent of my youngest brother. Her parent's actually named her after me. While on her way home from work, she was attacked by a Rogue werewolf. The creature had caused enough damage to start the change but her spirit had already left her body. I was drawn by her pain then my spirit joined with the body. Had I not done so, once it was healed the wolf would have been uncontrolled. I am she who was Blue Jay Woman but now Blue Jay Monroe Cornick, True Love and mate of Bran Cornick, the Marrok," Blue Jay explained then continued eating.

Tom, Moira, Alan and I were left speechless. All we could do was watch as the woman who claimed to be Bran's dead mate finished her food. When she was done, she waited patiently for us to recover our wits. After about a half hour, she grew bored with waiting and explored the rest of the house. When we snapped back to reality, I looked at Tom and Alan, from their expressions I knew that they had smelled the truth of her explanation just like I had.

My wolves, witch and I were deep into a discussion of what to do next when Blue Jay returned and asked us if we could take her to the Tri-Cities. An hour later, I was flying there in my private jet. When I asked why she wanted to go there instead of Aspen Creek, she told me that Bran, Charles and Anna were on their way to see Samuel. _This was going to be one interesting reunion,_ I thought as I requested permission to land at the small Executive Airport.


	6. Chapter 5

**Tidings of Comfort and Joy**

_Disclaimer: Mercy Thompson, Alpha and Omega and all of their respective characters are the property of Patricia Briggs. I only hope that I can do them some justice._

Ch. 5: Love's Labor Found

SPOV (Samuel)

My shift in the ER was almost over and I wanted to get home to Ari but Da called to say that he and Charles were bringing Anna to see me. His voice had been tight and I knew something was wrong but he never elaborated, no matter how many times I asked. While I waited, I called my Fey mate and told her why I was going to be late. Despite her continued issues with being around other werewolves she offered to bring me a change of clothes, along with a suitable breakfast. Her courage and love touched me deeply and made me thankful that my suicide attempt failed. Mercy kept me going while she tried to knock some sense into me but it was my lost love that truly healed my damaged and weary soul.

I was outside the main doors when one of the Columbia Basin Pack's SUV's pulled up. As soon as it was parked, Mercy and my family exited the vehicle. The Walker was beaming when she linked arms with my sister-in-law, Anna then started to head toward me. Da and Charles were a few paces behind them, each with an intimidating expression on their faces. With a practiced eye, I gave Anna a quick visual examination during her approach. The last time I'd seen her was at Doc Wallace's funeral and she had still been suffering the effects of the prolonged abuse of her old Alpha back in Chicago. The inspection showed that she gained a little more weight than was average for her build but, otherwise, looked healthy. In fact, she positively glowed.

Per Da's request, I led them to a private exam room but stopped at the nurses' station along the way to have them tell Ari where I would be when she showed up. My father and brother smirked at this but I didn't care. Mercy and Anna on the other hand were teasing me about planning my wedding. _It does my heart good to see you happy and full of life, my son,_ Da's voice echoed in my mind. I gave him a sheepish smile and my best apologetic expression. Shortly after the incident with the Silver Borne that reunited me with my Ari, I finally sat down with him and told him everything that had happened while I was in Texas and the overwhelming depression it pulled me into. I still felt guilty about all the worrying I put him through. Charles noticed the silent exchange; his hand shot out quicker than a cobra's strike and smacked the back of my head.

"Ouch, Old Man, what was that for," I wondered as I winced and rubbed the sore spot.

"For being an idiot," he stated simply while his mate glared at him and Mercy and Da laughed.

We made it to the Exam Room and Anna hopped up on the table then looked at me in a contemplative way. My brother handed me her medical records which I placed on the counter next to me.

"So what's wrong that made Da and the Big Bad Wolf over there insist I examine you," I queried as I read over her previous history. In addition to everything from her human years, it contained notes from her old Pack's doctor that chronicled everything that sick bastard Leo forced on her.

"Well… let me think. It could be because I'm three months pregnant," she replied with a smile.

All the years of medical training kicked in instantly and helped me get over my initial shock quickly. I added some blank pages to the file then took notes as she gave me a detailed account of the pregnancy so far. When she finished, I called and asked a nurse to bring an ultrasound. It was going to be about fifteen minutes before it arrived so I ushered the others out and proceeded with a full examination. The machine got there after the others had gone down to the cafeteria to get some coffee.

"Why are you looking sad, Anna," I asked when I noticed sorrow in her eyes.

"I just wish Mom was here," she barely whispered. From what she had told me, Anna had come to love the spirit of my stepmother over the past three months. I knew how she felt because I'd loved Blue Jay Woman as if she were my own mother as well.

"Did you honestly believe that I would miss this," a female voice called out as the door opened.

The Omega gasped and I spun around to see the owner of the voice. For the second time today, I was shocked but this time no amount of training would snap me out of it. Slowly, I rubbed my eyes but the vision in front of me never went away.

BPOV

Charles, Mercy and I had approached the cafeteria cashier to pay for our coffees and my little coyote, like the rest of us, was excited about the pending arrival to our family. I had made many mistakes raising the Walker after her mother dropped her into my lap. Only with everything that has happened to her over the past year has she been able to understand how much I loved her like my own daughter. That parent and child relationship solidified after she kept Samuel's wolf in charge after his recent suicide attempt until his human half found a reason to keep living. Even her relationship with Charles had changed, thanks to Anna. It had taken only one meeting for the sister bond to form between the two women.

In spite of the overall good mood Anna's pregnancy brought us, my nerves we frayed from Leah's treachery. My wife's attack on my daughter had caused the Berserker, that maddened thing my accursed mother forced me to become, strained against the ever weakening cage my Mate Bond created to contain it. Every bit of my energy that was not focused on Anna's well being was devoted to keeping it controlled. The last thing I needed was a distraction but at the edge of my consciousness, my wolf kept trying to get my attention.

We were on our way back to the Examination Room when it became so insistent that it finally distracted me. In that split second, my Mate Bond snapped and the Berserker leapt to take control only to be met by an impenetrable wall of love. Charles and Mercy looked concerned as I stumbled from the near fatal slip. That wall of love surrounded my being and chained me to its creator. I recognized it at once; it was the Mate Bond that I once shared with Blue Jay Woman, the bond that was shattered when my truest of loves died. Her presence flowed down the link then pulled me forward. The Styrofoam coffee cup slipped from my hands as I rushed to where ever that pull led. I barely noticed the look of concern that passed between my children before they scrambled after me.

I burst through the door of the room Anna and Samuel were in and stumbled to a halt. My mind ignored them and focused all of my attention on the stranger that looked at me expectantly. The woman was a russet-skinned Native American approximately twenty-three years old. Her raven black hair fell down to her lower back and the delicately featured oval face held two hazel eyes that swam with love. It was Blue Jay Woman in the flesh!

"What is the matter, my husband, wolf got your tongue," she asked huskily while her full lips turned up in a smirk.

Mercy and Charles had come in behind me and had taken up positions next to Samuel in stunned silence. After Blue Jay spoke, they snapped out of their daze and the three whispered among themselves. My younger son confirmed that the woman was, in fact, his mother. Anna giggled at our reactions as we tried to gather our wits.

"How," Samuel, Mercy, Charles and I all asked at the same time.

Blue Jay Woman explained about the pull her spirit had felt last night when I left her to deal with Leah. She told us how her younger brother's descendent had been attacked and infected by the Rogue werewolf in Seattle. Angus and the Emerald City Pack killed the fiend and kept the girl's body alive but her spirit had already gone to her Ancestors. Blue Jay merged with the body, partly to keep the wolf from waking up uncontrolled but mostly to be with our family. The girl had been given her name when she was born and grew into her namesake's likeness. With the help of the Spirits, the body was healed faster than normal then Blue Jay informed Angus who she was and asked to be taken to the Tri-Cities.

When she finished her story, the love in her eyes was replaced with anger and she spun to face Samuel. In the blink of an eye, she was in front of him. Her left hand flew out then caught his right ear which she twisted and pulled down on hard. Her right hand came down on his head in three quick slaps.

"OW," my older son screamed in pain.

"That is for what you did to poor Mercedes when she was still too young to understand," Blue Jay seethed then gave him another three slaps to the side of his head and continued, "and those are for being stupid. If you ever try to kill yourself again, I will personally tan your hide until sense is beaten back into you."

"Yes, mother, I'm very sorry," Samuel acquiesced meekly. My love released his ear then kissed his forehead.

"Are we done with the drama for now because I want to get off table and get something to eat," Anna laughed and we remember what we had originally come for.

Blue Jay drifted over to Mercy and kissed both of her cheeks while Samuel spread gel over our daughter's stomach. We crowded around and watched the monitor as he moved the probe around the lubricated skin.

APOV

My offhand comment brought the tension level in the room back down to normal and Samuel got ready for the ultrasound. Mom's story made me sad for the poor girl that died but I was very happy she now had a physical form. From the expressions of the others, I knew they were happy too. Da had been unhappy for a very long time but now he had a second chance with his true mate. I almost yelped when my brother smeared that cold stuff on me. When he moved the probe across my skin, all eyes were trained on the machine's screen.

At first, only static came through the speaker but after some fine tuning, two distinctive whirring sounds could be heard. I thought the ultrasound was broken until I noticed the two tiny corresponding shapes on the display. Not one baby but two. _Holy crap, we're going to have a litter,_ Lady Wolf screamed joyously in my head while tears of happiness trailed down my cheeks. It took me a moment to realize that my wolf had spoken in my usual diction instead of her more formal one. _I am as young as you are,_ my sister-in-flesh reminded me.

Mom and Mercy squealed like school girls while Da and Samuel congratulated me and Charles. I got a bit miffed when I looked at my mate and noticed his rather smug expression. Everyone laughed at the horror in his eyes when I frostily reminded him that the childbirth was going to hurt and he wasn't going to get any for a very long time, if ever. My newest sister, Ari showed up and congratulated me before she and Samuel left. I cleaned myself off then we left the hospital. Mercy drove us to a place that served authentic Mexican food so we could have lunch before she dropped us off at the airport.

The flight back to Aspen Creek was quiet as both couples enjoyed spending time with their mates. There'd be a big celebration in Aspen Creek tonight, after Leah was dealt with.


	7. Chapter 6

**Tidings of Comfort and Joy**

_Disclaimer: Patricia Briggs owns everything, I'm just trying to do it some justice._

Ch. 6: A Mother's Rage

APOV

As the jet began its decent to the private landing strip in Aspen Creek, tension started ratchet up in the cabin. We all knew that once the plane was on the ground it was only going to be a few precious minutes before they had to deal with Leah. They clamored out of the Leer and into Bran's Humvee. Mom had rolled her eyes when she'd seen it then gave me that amused _Men and their Toys_ look. I stifled the giggle that threatened to slip from my throat. Once Hank had the jet buttoned down, he joined them in the Vee and the Marrok drove off. He'd already called the Pack; they were supposed to meet us at his house.

LPOV

I had not gotten much sleep during the night. Instead, I paced the holding cell like the caged predator that I was. Five hours ago, I was finally able to drift into a light but exhausted sleep. The severing of my Mate Bond is what forced my eyes open. Over the years, I had come to understand that Bran needed our bond to cage the monster he kept buried deep in his psyche. Over the years, I had learned about my husband's early years; how his witch mother had forced the change on him then kept him as a pet. That knowledge was another motivating factor in backing Jerry's plot. I hoped that monster went on a killing spree at the hospital.

The Southern slut brought a loaded plate of breakfast fare but I ignored it out of spite. I trusted these wolves about as far as I could throw them and would not put it past them to have poisoned the food. Hunger eventually got to me; I pulled the plate to me then forced myself to eat the cold, congealed, eggs and sausage. The food settled in my stomach like a load of bricks. Nerves caused nausea so I banged on the steel re-enforced door and begged to use the bathroom. I heard several of the Pack up in my kitchen but had to suffer the indignity of being marched to the bathroom by a couple of the town's human residents armed with silver loaded automatics. To add insult to injury, they watched as I threw up my meal.

It was late afternoon when I heard the familiar sound of the Marrok's Humvee pull up the drive. I had skipped lunch and continued to pace about my prison as I tried to come up with a way to salvage things. Bran's control had to be close to tatters by now so it should not take much effort on her part to convince him to spare her life. There were no other female wolves in the Pack besides Sage and the Omega bitch mated to his son. That simple fact meant that he was going to be more pliant to her charms. The ancient fool would be too worried about his image to do more than give her a slap on the wrist.

A few months of playing nice then all would be forgiven and forgotten. After the fool had been lulled into a false sense of confidence, I would call my contact within the Trophy Hunters and rid myself of him once and for all. I looked forward to playing the part of the Merry Widow. There was enough money in her husband's various personal accounts to set her up comfortably in Paris for many years. Besides, now that the Beast was dead, there were several French Alphas that were less dominant than she was. A liberal application of her feminine wiles and one of them would be her most willing puppet.

The door was unlocked then Tag opened it. He and Asil led her back upstairs and out into the back yard. Time to start this little game.

BPOV

I dropped Hank off at his place then drove to my home. Instead of going inside after I parked, I led the others out back. The rest of my Pack had already assembled there and I wanted to get this over with. We needed to celebrate the news about the twins and the return of my love but the Leah situation had to be dealt with first. I stalked over to a stone bench in the middle of the back yard then stood atop it. Charles, Anna and Blue Jay had taken up positions to the right of the bench. Everyone noticed the Native American beauty and there were several whispered conversations about how much she looked like the descriptions of my lost mate. I ignored the murmurs and sent a mental command for Tag and Asil to bring out my wife.

A few minutes later, Leah appeared in between her escorts. Her eyes narrowed when they found Blue Jay but she showed some restraint by remaining silent. The procession stopped ten feet from my perch and I took a few moments to gather my thoughts. After three deep breathes, I finally looked in her eyes and spoke.

"Leah Cornick, for too many years I have allowed you to abuse my power and the position that being my mate had given you. Last night, you went too far by attacking a member of the Marrok Pack. There was no just cause for it, only your own hatred and jealousy. Such a crime is punishable by death. What have you to say for yourself," I said in a voice that betrayed none of my emotions. I watched her expression change when she realized that whatever she had planned was not going to work.

"Fuck you, Bran. My only regret is that I had not ripped the little whore's throat out. Besides, you never loved me and now you have found another Indian slut to warm your…," Leah started to fume but was interrupted when she was knocked to the ground by a red-gold wolf with a black swath of fur that went from the top of her head and down her back.

BJPOV

I watched as the two wolves led the traitor from the house and had the pleasure of watching the smug glint in her eyes fade as Bran laid the charges against her. When the harlot spewed those vile words, red tainted my vision. Before anyone had a chance to do anything, I was in my wolf form and she was on the ground beneath my claws.

Leah started to panic then tried to change but that was not going to happen. My claws tore into her exposed belly and I made sure she suffered for everything she had done to my children and the Pack. A quick glance at my daughter showed that Anna was being affected by the screams of pain. I tore out Leah's throat with my fangs and ended it. My wolf wanted nothing more than to eat the carcass of our enemy but I wanted nothing of that tainted wretch inside of me. Once the deed was finished, I changed back to human form and called on the Spirits to clothe me then took my place with my children.

"I really need to learn how to do that," Anna muttered wistfully.

"We can work on that later, my darling," I whispered to her and she smiled.

A couple of my mate's wolves gathered up the shrew's remains then took them away for disposal. Bran allowed the gathered members of the Pack to talk amongst themselves while they waited for their comrades to return. When they returned, he told everyone about the twins and Anna moved through the wolves to show off a copy of the ultrasound picture. I noticed the love and pride that beamed off my son as he looked at his wife. I spent many years in my Spirit form worried about my child, especially after he was molded into his father's enforcer. For the past century she tried to find a way to ease the loneliness that was Charles' constant companion.

The spirits aided me with my quest and alerted me that my goal would be reached as the result of Jerry Wallace's ill conceived plot. When Bran learned about the related trouble in Chicago, I went there and found Anna. I slipped into her dreams then learned of the abuse she suffered at that bastard, Leo's, instigation. The slip of an Omega was scared and lonely but at her heart was the perfect mate for Charles. I stayed in the shadows of her subconscious when she woke up then gave a subtle push here and a gentle nudge there to prick her conscious just enough to call the Marrok about what she knew about the disappearance of young Alan Frasier. The rest was history and I hadn't meddled in their relationship again until the pregnancy. Anna's mother had died a long time ago and I knew she needed guidance that only I could give.

As soon as the heart felt congratulations were given, Bran explained who I was and the story of my return. I was greeted by all the wolves and made to feel welcome. It was obvious that they were thrilled their Alpha found a new mate and that she was his True Love. The impromptu Pack meeting evolved into a barbeque. Tag directed my love and son as the three men gathered at the massive grill. Asil joined them and the four discussed various types of barbeque. The rest of the pack left to gather supplies and the human residents of the town. Anna, Sage and I sat around watching our respective mates revert to their caveman roots while we discussed plans for my daughter's baby shower and renovations to her home. The celebration lasted until ten at night.

Bran nearly had a heart attack when I told him that I was going to stay with the kids. I loved him but that doesn't mean I'm not going to make him work for it…


	8. Chapter 7

**Tidings of Comfort and Joy**

_Disclaimer: The only thing I own is this story, everything else belongs to Patricia Briggs. I only hope she'd like how I'm playing with her toys._

Ch. 7: The Great Escape?

APOV

My last appointment with Samuel proved that pregnancy was still going well. The sonogram showed a healthy boy and an equally healthy girl. My stomach was starting to look huge. News of the pregnancy had leaked out of Aspen Creek, it quickly became a site of pilgrimage for werewolves the world over who wanted to see the living miracle for themselves. You would've thought I was the Madonna from the way the visitors acted. The psychological scars from my first years as a werewolf that had started to heal during my time with Charles were now completely gone thanks to all the strange wolves that didn't know the meaning of "personal space." Now the Marrok insisted they stick to regular visiting hours, the rest of the time I was kept sequestered away from prying eyes.

After we'd returned from the Tri-Cities three months ago, my father-in-law had slyly suggested that Charles build a whole new house instead of the addition that was originally discussed. The self-serving idea was uttered just seconds after Mom (Blue Jay and Bran were the only parents I had left and loved it when I called them by the familial titles) told him that she was going to be staying with us. Da had mistakenly believed that we'd have no choice but to live with him while we waited for our new home to be built. Charles laughed when I ran into Bran's study and came back with the key to Samuel's house. Neither Mom nor I were born yesterday. Besides, she needed to time to adjust to her new body and living in the modern era.

The day had been long and tiring, all I wanted was to collapse on the couch of my temporary sanctuary then take a nap. Samuel's home was filled with a lot of comfy furniture to nap on. It was one of the few times I'd been left alone and I planned to take advantage of it. Charles wasn't due back from Europe for another day; the death of The Beast had left a power vacuum and the Italian, Isaac, stepped in to act as that continent's Marrok and he'd needed my mate's help. Da had taken it upon himself to oversee construction at the new house whenever there wasn't pressing werewolf business. Mom and Sage had forced Asil into a shopping trip to Missoula to get me some new maternity clothes along with everything for the nursery.

Just as my eyes started to droop, my stomach growled and the strange cravings that had intensified throughout the second trimester flared. I prowled the kitchen in an attempt to find something to satisfy the craving but nothing had appealed to either me or Lady Wolf.

_Elk,_ she suggested but we both rejected the idea.

_Moose,_ Lady Wolf offered next and again, we both instinctively knew that wasn't what we craved. In the pantry, I noticed a box of spaghetti noodles which caused me to identify what my taste buds needed, Scorchies. My sister-in-flesh yipped happily in my mind because she remembered Chicago's best Italian food and the craving for it burned in both of us. It had taken a few minutes before reality hit me. I was trapped in the backwoods of Montana and what I wanted was taunting me from the Windy City. The last time I'd had a craving like this it was for ice cream, specifically from the Coldstone Creamery in Denver. Some friends and I had vacationed there back when I was still a student at Northwestern. We'd found that particular shop on our way to a Broncos game.

Charles and everyone had been busy, so I found the keys to Samuel's truck then snuck out to get the ice cream. Asil and Sage caught at the Colorado border when I'd stopped for a bathroom break. They followed me all the way to the Denver Airport where my husband was waiting with ice cream. Since then, I'd been on house arrest. Charles had gone as far as making me wear one of those GPS ankle bracelets. If I went anywhere other than the church in town to meet with the visiting wolves, it sent out a signal and half the pack came to get me unless I was with one of my usual bodyguards.

I heard Tag's Land Rover driving toward the house; Da must've sent the wolf to check on me. That happened from time to time. The hippy like werewolf strolled in the front door a couple of minutes later and a plan took shape.

"Bran wanted me to see if you needed anything," Tag asked, his clarinet voice still sounded strange coming from such a large man.

"Well, I just realized that I was out of firewood and it's supposed to get colder tonight," I answered truthfully. I'd managed to go through a whole cord of firewood in the past few days. Tag nodded then moved out back where he grabbed an axe then strode into the woods like a Grateful Dead version of Paul Bunyan.

As soon as the older wolf headed for the tree line, I rushed to the kitchen and grabbed a sharp butcher's knife. Being careful not to knick myself, I cut through the ballistic nylon strap that held it to my ankle. I tossed the annoying device onto the table then grabbed my purse and ran out to the Rover. There was never any crime in Aspen Creek so nobody ever locked their door and often left the keys in their car ignitions. Tag was well into the forest before I started the ancient Land Rover and sped away.

It was only a matter of time before my jailbreak was discovered so I drove straight to the clinic. Rashid, a doctor and former member of the Western Chicago Suburb Pack like me, had just moved here to take over Samuel's place as the town's resident doctor. I used his guilt over not preventing the abuse I suffered to cajole his car keys from him. The band new Mercedes had a full tank and excellent gas mileage. It ate up the distance the airport in Missoula. There was enough cash in my purse to cover the cost of a one way ticket and a hearty meal at the end of my journey.

I wasn't able to relax until the plane was in the air, even then I expected a member of the Pack to pop up screaming, "Gotcha!" Just after the airliner reached cruising altitude, Lady Wolf whimpered and a craving of different kind hit me. If Charles was here, he'd be able to sate it and we'd join the Mile High Club. An hour into the flight, I fell asleep and only woke up when the plane landed at O'Hare.

Since I didn't have any luggage, I went straight from the terminal to the line of taxis outside. The cabbie looked at me dubiously when I climbed into the backseat of his cab sans bags.

"Where to, lady," he asked with a native accent that I hadn't realized I'd missed.

"Scorchie's, and don't spare the ponies because I'm starving," I replied and the driver smiled. He must have seen something in my body language that said, "Local," because he drove straight there the short way. I paid the fare and tipped him a hundred dollars then hurried inside.

Normally, the place would be packed on a night like tonight but for some reason the restaurant was unusually empty. Mick turned when I came in and smiled then led me to the private dining room in the back after a quick greeting. The smells that wafted out of the kitchen made my mouth water and I was practically drooling by the time we reached we reached our destination. The first thing I noticed was that table was already full of food. The second was my husband leaning against the wall smiling. He didn't speak until Mick left us alone.

"Took you long enough to get here, love," he laughed huskily.

"YOU KNEW," I shouted peeved.

"I'd decided to come home early when I felt your craving through our Mate Bond. It was only a matter of time before you acted on it so I called Da and made it easy for you to escape. Of course, neither of us expected you to switch the Rover for that Pup Doctor's," Charles admitted smugly.

"Watch it, I haven't been a werewolf much longer that him," I whined.

My mate launched himself off the wall and swept me up into a hug. Afterwards, he kissed my lips then knelt and kissed my belly before escorting me to the food laden table. His rumbling laugh filled the room when I fell on the Italian delicacies like a… well, ravenous wolf. By the time I was full, I'd devoured an entire lasagna, three calzones, two helpings of Chicken Alfredo with linguine, five cineole and washed it all down with almost a gallon of sweet tea; my bladder wasn't thanking me for the latter. Charles just shook his head then went off to pay the bill.

I was waddling toward the front door when he joined me. My full belly made me sleepy and I leaned against my mate as we walked out to his rental car. It wasn't long before I drifted off to sleep and woke up curled into Charles' side in the First Class section of an airliner. Da and Mom were waiting for us when we got off the plane. Of the two, Blue Jay was the one that didn't look happy.


	9. Chapter 8

**Tidings of Comfort and Joy**

_Disclaimer: Shhh! Don't tell Patricia Briggs that I'm borrowing her Alpha and Omega. I'll put it back when I'm finished with it._

Ch. 8: Going To The Chapel

BPOV

I was an idiot. I had come to belief the rumors of my knowing everything that I had cultivated over the centuries. Those first two months that Blue Jay was back in my life, I was foolish enough to thing that everything would go back to the way it was before she died her at my side and specifically in my bed. Could I have been a more arrogant bastard? Never once during that time had I thought that she needed time to readjust to not just being back among the living, but living in a new century entirely. Thankfully, Anna had taken it upon herself to ease my mate's transition. Not that I thought that was a good thing when she and Sage introduced Blue Jay to credit cards, shopping malls, day spas, girls' nights and vibrators. When I confronted my daughter about the last one, she informed me in no uncertain terms that women had needs too.

I had made the mistake of pointing out that her needs could have been met by her mate if she would have given me the chance. The tiny slip of an Omega went ballistic and laid into me with a fierce tongue lashing that almost put the fear of God into me. During her tirade, she viciously pointed out my second biggest mistake when it came to my mate; I assumed that she would jump right back into my bed and consummate our mating. Not once, in the time that she had been back in my life, had I courted her properly or enquired about her needs and how she was adjust to her new life. Instead, I acted like a petulant child when she told me that she was moving in with Charles and Anna until the baby was born.

It was embarrassing that my son was present for my dressing down but rather than gloat or look smug, he looked thankful that he was not on the receiving end of his pregnant wife's ire. I admitted to her that she was right and promised to rectify the situation after I went and apologized to Blue Jay. I stayed true to my word; Blue Jay and I had been on several dates and I only had to cancel once because of Anna's escape to Chicago. My mate let our daughter know just how she felt about that when we picked our children up at the airport.

After a month and a half of courting, I asked Blue Jay to be my wife. Of course, she made me sweat a bit before saying yes. She, Sage and Anna threw themselves into planning mode and had the whole wedding ready to go in just a few days. At my mate's request, I was not allowed to know the theme until the night before. The whole thing, wedding and honeymoon, was to take place while our daughter was still a month off from giving birth because she wanted us to have some special time to ourselves.

Last night, I found out that Blue Jay had gone with a tradition Salish theme and was now standing at the altar with my sons waiting for Asil to walk her down the aisle. The ceremony was perfect and my mate was curled up into my side sleeping. We were off to Fiji for our honeymoon; I left Charles and Samuel in charge until we returned in a week.

**AN: Sorry this was a short chapter but I wanted to show that Bran got his happy ending. The next chapter will be longer because of the birth of the twins and most likely the last one as well. I'm going to try to finish a couple of my other stories before I work on another Patricia Briggs fic. If there is an interest, I was thinking of doing a Mercy Thompson piece titled Tainted Love, a Sam/Marsilia story where each chapter corresponds with each of the five books. As always, I'm open to suggestions. Maybe a Rick fic or one where Angus falls in love down the road?**


	10. Chapter 9

**Tidings of Comfort and Joy**

_Disclaimer: Patricia Briggs owns Alpha and Omega, I just own this story._

Ch. 9: Blessed Day

APOV

For the briefest moment, I was able to focus on the digital display of the clock next to my bed and saw that it was 6 p.m. Sweat drenched my body and a twisting pain in my gut reminded me that I'd been in labor for the past twelve hours. Charles stood off to the left of the bed I was on and held my hand while Samuel was in the traditional doctor's position between my splayed legs for the delivery. Mom and Da had taken up places on the right side of my bed.

"YOU BASTARDS, YOU AND BROTHER WOLF DID THIS TO US! I'M GOING TO HAVE SAMUEL CUT YOUR BALLS OFF AND EVEN THEN THE TWO OF YOU ARE NEVER TOUCHING US AGAIN," I screamed as the contraction reached its peak. I squeezed my mate's hand hard with all the werewolf strength my body possessed and had the smug satisfaction of hearing bones break. Later, I was going to feel guilty but for now I truly believed he was getting off easy.

"You're doing fine, love, I'm proud of you," he replied to my outburst in a loving tone that never betrayed any of the pain I'd just inflicted.

The next couple of hours past in a haze of pain and pushing; just when I thought that I thought I couldn't push again, the first baby was delivered followed ten minutes later by the second. The two tiny bundles were tucked into my arms; I'd just enough time to notice that they were beautiful before I fainted from exhaustion.

CPOV

Anna had survived the long labor and a fear I never voiced finally fell off me and Brother Wolf. Samuel was in the middle of casting my left hand as I fought the urge to growl. The twins had started to get fussy so Da and Mother were rocking them gently while my mate slept peacefully.

"Once I'm finished with the cast, you're going to have to drop your pants so I can do that other procedure," Samuel commented casually.

"Huh, what procedure," I asked only half paying attention because most of my concentration was split between my Anna and our little miracles.

"Anna wanted you fixed so I thought I'd take care of that while I was here and save you a trip up to the Tri-Cities," he smirked and it was a few moments before his words sank in then I growled at him.

"That won't be necessary," I replied coolly and my brother and parents laughed.

"Stop teasing your brother, Samuel," Da mock chided while never taking his eyes off the little girl in his arms; my son was safely in my mother's loving arms.

I snatched my hand with its finished cast from my brother's grasp then moved over to sit next to Anna. Da placed my daughter in my arms and stared at her in wonder.

"You shall be Branwen Moira Cornick," I told my daughter as I shifted her to one arm and held out the other from my son.

Mother placed the small boy in my waiting arm then I tucked him into my body and said, "You are Michael Iohann Cornick."

"Strong names for strong children," Samuel noticed as he wrote them down then he and the others left the room so that I was able to bond with my newborn children.

I must've fallen asleep because small suckling sounds woke me up. Anna was propped up on the bed, one of the twins attached to each of her breasts as she fed them. A slow content smile spread across my face. My mate must've caught the slight movement because she turned her head to me with a smile of her own and tears of joy in her eyes.

"They're perfect, Daddy," she whispered in reverent awe.

"Yes they are, Mommy," I replied then got out of my chair and kissed her then crawled onto the bed to lie next to her.

Anna leaned her head onto my shoulder while I breathed loving words to her. After the twins stopped feeding, I helped to burp and change them before we settled back onto the bed. My wife softly sung a lullaby to the babies and I let her Omega effect fill me. Brother Wolf curled up in the back of my mind and basked in the peace it brought. Through the Mate Bond, I was able sense Lady Wolf's pride at surviving the birth. It wasn't long before the infants were asleep and I was nearly there myself. She sighed when she reached the end of her song.

_*Three Months Later*_

BJPOV

I wasn't the only one that noticed when Anna breathed a sigh of relief after the door closed behind the last of the visitors left. My son, Charles, had stood in the corner with his arms across his chest. He kept a deceptively calm expression but there was little doubt in anyone's mind that if they so much as breathed wrong near his mate or children then death was going to be slow and painful. The second the door had clicked shut, he was at her side soothing her nerves.

If the pregnancy had caused a stir within the werewolf world, the birth of the twins only made it worse. Every pack across the globe had made a pilgrimage to Aspen Creek with little notice and kept all of us on edge. They all had wanted to see the little angels. My daughter and grandchildren had handled the situation far better than Bran or Charles had. Each of the trespassing Alpha's had left with the understanding that there was going to be a lot of diplomatic tap dancing, for the foreign wolves, or groveling, for the North American wolves, in the near future.

I helped Anna feed Branwen and Michael then after they were changed, we placed them on a floor mat to play. My granddaughter had a tuft of her mother's whiskey colored curls but her overall cuteness was just as deceptive as Bran's ability to blend into the background. There was no doubt that the tiny girl was dominant. Michael had his father's dark hair but had been born an Omega like his mother. Both twins had light caramel skin that showed their mixed heritage but only added to their beauty. They were both going to be heartbreakers when they grew up.

Sage and Asil came into the room with huge smiles on their faces. There was a plastic stick in the woman's hand and my excellent eyesight brought the pink plus sign into sharp focus. There was no need for them to say a word because the wolves in the room already knew that the two had been trying for a baby for about a month.

"Congratulations," we all called to them before they reached us.

APOV

There was another party in Aspen Creek as the Pack celebrated the news of Sage's pregnancy. My friend and her mate enjoyed the well wishes from our pack mates. I needed to put the babies down for the night so Charles and I left before the festivities were over. The reality was, even without the twins as an excuse, we both needed some time away from others. The entire pregnancy and birth hadn't given us much time to relax and just enjoy being together.

My husband went into the kitchen to put a kettle on while I continued to the nursery and placed the babies in their respective cribs. There was a hot cup of tea waiting for my when I curled up next him on the couch. I smiled at the scattered papers and brochures that were scattered in front of Charles; his tea cup placed on the end table next to him. The various papers were financial statements for the bank accounts and investment portfolios he'd started for Branwen and Michael the day after their birth. Whereas, the brochures were for exclusive kindergartens and private schools that catered to the children of diplomats and the ultra rich.

"We need to plan for their future, love," Charles commented when he noticed my smile.

"I agree but I don't think we need to plan everything now. It can wait for a couple of years while we enjoy being a family for the next couple of years. Besides, want would you rather be doing, staring at boring numbers or reminding your wife how well we fit together," I replied coyly then got up and headed to the bedroom, a seductive sway in my hips. His hot breath was on my neck before I'd taken three steps as he stalked after me.

Our lovemaking was raw and passionate, it'd been far too long and we both needed the intensity. We had been entwined in each other's arms when the twins woke for their midnight feeding. Charles and I put on under ware then pulled on robes and walked hand in hand to the nursery. My mate kept one infant busy while I fed the other then we switched.

"I think you were right, there's plenty of time to plan for their future. We should just take things easy for now," he admitted softly.

Our conversation flowed freely before we slipped back to our bed. In the end, it was agreed that we were going to just enjoy this new adventure in our lives for a while.

**The End.**


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